Literacy Strategy Planning at Ōpōtiki College

I was reminded yesterday by a new colleague librarian from Tokoroa High School how fortunate I am with my new roles here at Ōpōtiki College.

When I got my job, I applied for everything I could because I wanted to be here in Ōpōtiki with my whanau. Plus of course, I desperately wanted and needed a challenge. The English Curriculum Advisor role is a really special one. It helps me connect with the teachers in our team and lift them up where they want/need. I'm able to deliver PLD and share resources, create resources with them collaboratively and design relevant programmes of learning for our students. I think part of the reason I got the job was my vision for an integrated literacy programme throughout the school using the 'Coast by Nature' framework.

I've already mentioned in a previous post about my excitement for teaching English and being able to 'look after' the library. I keep forgetting that the library is a full-time job in and of itself. For now though, it is what I make of it. I have a great team of Book Club students and this Thursday will get ideas from our English Department on what we need to do in our space to make it useful, functional and relevant to our students and staff wants and needs. I want the library to be an information hub. A place where students can get the information they need for their assessments. Where students can ask for help and be pointed to the right direction. Where students can develop more confidence in their reading skills too.

Last week my new role was announced. I've been given the Kāhui Ako / Community of Learning role as the Pedagogical Leader of Literacy. This was a big decision as my first focus has to be on uplifting the English Dept and building literacy throughout the school comes hand in hand with that. The workload was a serious outlier and one that I'm still navigating.

With these two roles as my pou, I can see my overall goal of lifting literacy have more focus and drive. Using the library as our main space to celebrate and build these skills is absolutely awesome and necessary.

I'm absolutely looking forward to the PLD this week with Cathy Dewes from NZCER. I'm a bit gutted about missing my 9&10 Tihi class again this Friday though!!

More thoughts to be thought. New Assessment Resource Bank (ARBs) to be thought of in relation to our goal of an integrated literacy programme throughout OC. Need to catch up with our social scientists and English kaiako for help with identifying what needs they have of the non-fiction section for their student's assessments.